The Book That Made My Babysitting Job Seem Incredibly Easy In Comparison

Sometimes I babysit for two kids who live down the road from me. They are incredibly lovely and sweet but boy do they have some energy. I think that I race around and have high energy but I am as nothing compared to small children. Such running! Such giggling! Such shouting!

But at least there aren't six of them. They're not identical. And King Alaspooryorick of Daneland has never once tried to invade anywhere in Cambridge, to my knowledge.

'I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW HARD BABYSITTING IS!' EXCLAIMED HOLLY. 'IT'S THE LAST TIME I LET MY SISTER PICK A SUMMER JOB FOR US.'

Not being funny but I wouldn't let my sister pick me ANY job. 

Holly and Anna are desperate to go on their dream holiday, but the only way they can is to babysit for six identical toddler Princes and their older brother Prince Pepino, all in the middle of an invasion by King Alaspooryorick. I knew it would be good since I've read Clementine's 'Sesame Seade' series and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I took this along to babysitting to garner some good favour. They loved the Cow, the porcupine grenade, and the Robotic Mermaids (not to give too much away), so at least we agree on some things, and they were so enthralled it was almost easy to get them to go to sleep afterwards. 

Shamefully, this has been sitting on my TBR pile since it made its way into my basket at Sainsbury's last November. Clementine's in-jokes and bright writing, alongside Becka Moor's really amazing illustrations - she completely communicates the sense of the book, and makes it so fun!- made it a slice of sun and good cheer in the middle of March - enough to make me willing to take on some more babysitting to provide for my own summer holidays.

'CAMBRIDGIA AND OXFORTH? NOTHING EVER HAPPENS THERE; THEY'RE THE MOST BORINGLY PEACEFUL PLACES IN BRITLAND.'

The Book That I Can't Stop Coming Back To

'THE CLAYR SAW ME, THE WALLMAKER MADE ME, THE KING QUENCHED ME, THE ABHORSEN WIELDS ME SO THAT NO DEAD SHALL WALK IN LIFE. FOR THIS IS NOT THEIR PATH'

I first read 'Sabriel' when I was about 12. I could say about it that Garth Nix is an engaging writer, the story rolls along, the characters are fascinating (especially Mogget) and the world in which it is set is drawn well, all of which I believe to be true.

It doesn't explain why I've come back to this book so many times. My mum has been known to describe it as my comfort blanket and I would go so far as to say I've read it more times than any other book (excluding Harry Potter texts).

I smuggled it to Cambridge after a term of my undergraduate. I read it brazenly in the car when I moved to Edinburgh, and kept it with me for reassurance. I delighted when it was finally put on kindle. And today I took it on the train with me as I came back from Manchester to Cambridge, and cried and cried as I left the hills and Sabriel received the bells and the bandoleer from her father.

There are two main reasons I love it so much.

One has to be Sabriel and her dad. We never know his name - he's always just the Abhorsen. But his love for Sabriel is true and kind, and even to the end, they're a team. To my dad, as well, who always has my back.

'They turned together and plunged out into Life'

The second reason must be the quote below. For someone who rarely knows what they want to do, whether in the big or the little decisions, these words consistently remind me, when I think on them, of the choices that we can make and the actions we can take to run our own lives, but also of the external factors which often force us to take a different direction. My life isn't settled yet, and in and of itself, it's comforting to remember that no-one knows anything for sure.

DOES THE WALKER CHOOSE THE PATH, OR THE PATH THE WALKER?